United Kingdom · UK-HCW · Work visa

Health and Care Worker Visa

Up to 5 years before you need to extend it.

12 official facts · checked 4 Nov 2026

Cost
£324
Time
3 weeks
Stay
60 months
United Kingdom UK-HCW

Health and Care Worker Visa

12 verified facts

Cost
Application fee: £324 for up to 3 years.
Time
Usually a decision within 3 weeks after you apply, prove your identity and provide your documents.
Stay
Up to 5 years before you need to extend it.
Leads to
After 5 years you may be able to apply to settle permanently (indefinite leave to remain). Not automatic.
Your match

Needs your answers

Answer a few questions. It takes about two minutes, with no account. We'll check your answers against this visa's official rules.

See my match
The details

What the official rules say

Each line links to its official source and the date we checked it. Anything we could not check is marked.

Cost

£324

Application fee: £324 for up to 3 years.

Applies to Up to 3 years (same fee inside or outside the UK).

≈ USD 435 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

£628

Application fee: £628 for more than 3 years.

Applies to More than 3 years (same fee inside or outside the UK).

≈ USD 842 — indicative only, at the ECB reference rate of 3 Nov 2026. Not an official fee.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long it takes

Usually a decision within 3 weeks after you apply, prove your identity and provide your documents.

The government's target, not a promise

Applies to Outside the UK.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

How long you can stay

Up to 5 years before you need to extend it.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Can it lead to living there permanently?

After 5 years you may be able to apply to settle permanently (indefinite leave to remain). Not automatic.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Rules

You need a job offer from an approved UK employer (the NHS, an NHS supplier or an adult social care provider) before you apply.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Care worker (6135) and senior care worker (6136) jobs are only open to people extending, updating or switching to this visa — not to new applicants.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

English at CEFR level B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Applies to New applicants and people switching visa (B1 if extending a visa held before 8 January 2026).

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

With IELTS for UKVI, CEFR B2 means at least 5.5 in each of listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Applies to IELTS for UKVI (SELT) — one of several approved tests.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

Usually at least £25,000 a year, or the job's going rate if higher. Some roles need at least £31,300.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

You must work in an eligible health or social care job.

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

These are the official rules we have so far. There may be more. Read the official page before you apply.

Official page

Health and Care Worker visa — GOV.UK

gov.uk ↗ · checked 4 Nov 2026

What can come next
  1. This visa Health and Care Worker Visa
  2. Next step Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) Usually needs 5 years
  3. Then British Citizenship Usually needs 5 years

A possible next step. Times come from each visa's official rules. See what long-term visas need.

Keep exploring

Compare this with other visas.

Check my profile Compare countries
See your match